Shoe shank



Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UhllljE STATES.-

AVEDIS D. AVEDISYAN, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE SHAN'K.

Application filed August 14, 1924. Serial No. 731,902.

This invention relates to shoe shanks and it has for its object to provide a novel shoe shank whichcan be adjusted to givemore or less support to the arch of thefoot and which is provided with means for maintaining the desired adjustment.

a. shoe shank embodying my invention comprises a base plate and an arch support ing plate, together with means for flexing the arch supporting plate more or less de pending on the support which it is desired to give tothe arch of the foot, and with means for holding the arch supporting plate in its flexed relation. In order to give an understanding of my invention '1 have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment therein which will now be described, atterwhich the novel features-will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows a shoe having my improved shoe shank therein and said shoe being broken away to better show the invention.

' to the inner sole of the shoe before it is built into the shoe.

My improved shoe shank comprises a base plate 1 and a flexible arch-supporting plate 2, together with means for flexing the archsupporting plate 2 moreor less thereby to give it a. greater or less curvature, These two plates 1 and 2 are rigidly secured toamma one end, preferably the front end, and in the illustrated embodiment of .the invention this is accomplished by means of a rivet 3.

The other end of the plate 2 is retained in position by means of two ears 4 which are secured to or are integral with the plate 1 and which overlie the edges of the plate 2.

As stated above the plate 2 is flexible and means are provided for flexing it more or less so as to give it a shape best adapted for supporting the arch of the foot with which it is to be used.

Various means may be provided for flexing the plate 2 that herein shown comprising a lever 5 which is pivoted to the base plate 1 at 6 and the end 7 of which extends through a slot 8 formed in the plate 2, said Ul\4 5 is raised as shown by dotted lines in Fig. q

o theprojections 9 will. engage the under side of the plate 2 and will bend or her; said plate more or less depending on the extentto which the levi 5 is-raised.

During this bending or flexing of theplate 2the rear end ,or the left hand end, Fig. 2, will be retained in contact withthe plate 1 by the ears 4:, said ears permitting the free end of the plate 2 to slide on plate 1 during this operation.

Means are provided for locking or sup porting the arch supporting plate 2 in its adjusted position. The construction herein shown for this purpose comprises a locking member lOpivotec. to the plate 2 at 11' and adapted to engage in any one of a plurality or". notches 12, formed in a shoulder 13 with which the plate 1 is provided. T his shoulder may be formed either by turning over the edge of the plate or by securing a block or strip of metal 14 to the plate 1 by means or rivets 15 as shown in Fig. 2, one edge of said block constituting the shoulder 13, The notches 12 are formed in the shoulder 13 at different distances from the end of the plate 1 and by placin 'the locking member 10 in the proper notch the arch-supporting plate will be retained at the desired curvature.

In Fig. 2 the locking member 10 is shown as in one of the central notches 12. If it is desired to give the shoe shank a flatter shape then the lever 5 will be raised so to flex the plate 2 sufliciently to withdraw the locking member 10 from the notch it occupies 1n Fig. 2, and then said locking member willbe swung into the dotted line position so as to engage in another notch and the lever 5 may then be released. When this is done the resiliency of the plate 2 will tend to straighten or flatten it and the engagement of the locking member 10 in the notch as shown in dotted lines will hold the archsupporting plate in its adjusted position.

If on the other hand it is desired to give the arch-supporting plate 2 a greater curvature then after said plate has been bent or flexed by raising the lever 5 the'locking member 10 may be swung toward the top of Fig. 2 and placed in the proper notch 12 where it will hold the plate in its adjusted position.

The base plate 1 is shown as bent down-- uardly or depressed centrally at the point where the lever 5 is located so that at this point it has a trough shape in cross section. This is plainly seen in Fig. The trough saape al'l'ords room to accommodate the lever and said shape also adds strength and stifiness to the shank. When the shank has been properly adjusted and is in use the lever 5 will rest on the bottom of thetrough as shown in Fig. 3 and will be below the plate 2.

My improved shank is designed to be built into a shoe 16 during the manufacture of the latter and when thus built into the shoe it may be placed between the inner sole and the out r sole as shanks usually are, or it may be used in connection withthe special form of inner sole as shown in Fig. 6. This latter form of inner sole has the advantage that it provides a construction which permits the shanlr to be adjusted after it is in the shoe. The inner sole shown in Fig. 6 is indicated at 20 and it is split horizontally from the heel portion forwardly to a point -zeyond the fingerpiece 7 The lower layer 1 of the split end of the inner sole is pro vided with a slit through which the rear end of the shank extends. The shank is so'situated that the front part thereof is located on the under side of the inner sole and the rear part thereof is situated between the two sections 21 and 22 of the split portions of the inner sole.

The shank is secured to the inner sole by means of suitable rivets or other fastening devices 19.

The upper section 22 of the inner sole is free to be turned back as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1 thereby to give access to the lock 10 and fingerpiece 7. Whenever it is desired to adjust the shanlr the flap or section 22 will be turned up thus uncovering the linger piece 7 and lock 10 and the latter may then be adjusted as desired. l Vhen the adjustment is affected thei ap will be turned back again into its operat ve-position.

It will thus be seen that l have not only provided an adjustment shank, but I have also provided a construction by which the saanl; can be adjusted after it has been built into the shoe.

I claim:

1. A shoe shank comprising a base. plate. a flexible arch-supporting plate ri idly secured at one end to the base plate, he other end of the arch-supporting plate being slidable onthe base plate, means for flexing the arch-supporting plate, and other means independent froin the flexing means and situated at said otl er end of the arch-support plate to lock said plate in its adjusted lie -ed position.

A shoe shank comprising a base plate, an arch-supporting plate secured at one end to the base plate, a lever pivoted to the base .plate and by which the arch-supporting plate can be flexed, and means separate the lever for locking the arclrsuppornng plate in its flexed relation.

shoe shank comprising a base plate, a flexible arch-supporting plate secured at one end to the base plate, said base plate having guiding lips overlying the other end of the arch-supporting plate, a swingable member by which the arch-supporting plate may be flexed, and other means independent troin. the swingable member to lock said arch-supporting plate in its flexed relation.

A shoe shank comprising a plate, a flexible arch-supporting platesecured at one end to the base plate and having a slot, and a lever pivoted to the base plate. and swingable upwardly through the slot and by which thearch-supporting plate may be flexed.

5. A- shoe shank comprising a-base plate,

a flexible arch-supporting plate secured at one end to the base plate and having a slot, a lever pivoted to the base plate and by which the arch-supporting plate may be flexed, said lever being operable thru said slot, and a locking device separate from the lever to hold the arch-supporting plate in flexed relation.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

AVEDIS n. Avanisran llu 

